Page 31 - Chronicles of Darkness

• What is the worst thing your character has ever done? This categories. If a rule refers to a “Physical action” or a “Social
doesn’t have to be anything dastardly. If the worst roll,” it is referring to an action that uses an Attribute from
thing your character ever did was steal money from one of these categories.
his mother’s purse and lie to cover it up, that’s fine. All characters start with one dot in each Attribute, which
What’s important here is to consider something that is below average for that Attribute. Two dots represents
your character did that made him hate himself. The average ability, three dots is above average, and four dots is
superlative “worst” is something that the character someone who is truly exceptional. A character with five dots
would apply. Choose a breaking point based on the in an Attribute has reached the peak of human potential
answer to this question. within that ability.

• What is the worst thing your character can imagine himself Mental Attributes
doing? We imagine ourselves in various scenarios to test
our own self-image against a hypothetical situation. Mental Attributes represent a characters mental resilience,
When children do it, it’s called imaginative play, but intellect, and acuity.
it fills the same niche. What can you can character
reasonably see himself doing, but still know that it Intelligence
would be wrong? Can your character imagine kill- Intelligence is your character’s book smarts and ability to
ing someone in self-defense? Torturing someone for process data. It represents memory, general knowledge, and
information? How about robbing a store with a gun? ability to solve complex and difficult problems.
Attribute Tasks: Memorizing (Intelligence + Composure,
• What is the worst thing your character can imagine someone instant action)
else doing? Of course, we all know that people are
capable of some hideous atrocities. What tops your Wits
character’s list? Serial murder? Rape? Torture? Spree
killing? If your character is extremely sheltered or Wits represents quick thinking and improvisation. A char-
misanthropic, he might have a skewed view, here; he acter with a high Wits responds quickly to new information
might hang on to some lofty, cerebral notion of “dis- and situations. It also represents perception and the ability
honor” or “betrayal” as the nadir of human behavior. to notice details and subtle tells.
Attribute Tasks: Perception (Wits + Composure, reflexive ac-
• What has your character forgotten? In the Chronicles of tion), Catching a dropped object (Wits + Dexterity, instant action)
Darkness, it’s next to impossible to grow up without
any exposure to the supernatural. Decide what your Resolve
character saw and forgot. Did she see a vampire take
the form of smoke and vanish? A man turn into a Resolve represents your character’s patience, concentra-
wolf? Maybe she caught a glimpse of an impossible tion, and determination. A high Resolve allows a character
nightmarescape through a door that should never to focus despite distractions or discouragement.
have been propped open? Describe this scene in as Attribute Tasks: Meditation (Resolve + Composure,
much detail as you can. This is a breaking point that extended action), Staying Awake (Resolve + Stamina, instant
already occurred, but it helps set a benchmark for action)
what your character would have to see in order to
experience one now. Physical Attributes

• What is the most traumatic thing that has ever happened Physical Attributes reflect a character’s body control and
to your character? No one goes through life with no fitness.
trauma. Your character might have been mugged, Strength
beaten as a child, in a serious car accident, been kid-
napped by a parent during a divorce, survived a life- Strength is a character’s muscular power and ability to use
threatening disease, attempted suicide, been attacked the force of her body. It is used for a large number of physical
by a supernatural (or natural!) creature, or any number tasks, and is important for most applications of violence.
of other traumatic experiences. The goal here, again, Attribute Tasks: Holding up a heavy object (Strength +
isn’t to make a traumatized character. It’s to set a bar. Stamina, extended action)

Attributes Dexterity
Dexterity represents hand-eye coordination, agility, and
physical speed. A character with a high Dexterity has fast
Attributes are the basic abilities that every character pos-
sesses, and are the foundation for most rolls. There are nine reactions, a good sense of balance, and accurate control of
Attributes, split between the Mental, Physical, and Social physical force.
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the face in the mirror-Characters